A Birmingham based charity has received a significant donation from a construction firm working on the landmark 103 Colmore Row development in the city’s central business district.
BAM Construction has raised more than £22,000 for Ronald McDonald House at Birmingham Children’s Hospital as part of its commitment to supporting local communities.
The impressive total was raised through various fundraising activities organised and supported by BAM employees and subcontractor partners working on what will be Birmingham’s newest and tallest office building.
Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) is an independent charity providing free ‘home away from home’ accommodation for families with children being treated in hospital. Ronald McDonald Houses are located as close as possible to specialist children’s hospitals across the UK, ensuring that families can stay close to their children, whilst maintaining a degree of normal life and reducing emotional and financial strain.
Partnering with local and national charities is a core element of BAM’s community engagement, as well as its broader approach to creating social value. The money raised by the BAM team will provide the funding for two families to stay in Ronald McDonald House Birmingham for up to a year.
Jo Howe, national corporate partnerships manager at RMHC, commented: ‘Despite the pandemic hindering their fundraising plans, the BAM team working at 103 Colmore Row has raised an incredible total for Ronald McDonald House Charities UK so we can offer free accommodation to families with children in hospital. The BAM team has also supported families with gifts, and we were delighted to be able to visit them in person to thank them for their amazing support.’
BAM Construction commercial manager Dave Watson said: ‘The Ronald McDonald House adjacent to Birmingham Children’s Hospital is one of the charity’s largest accommodation facilities, with 66 bedrooms and living space for families to cook, eat and spend time together. We felt there was no better cause for us to support as many of us with children have been grateful to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital at some stage in our lives. The fundraising activity is ongoing, and our aim is to reach £25,000 before we vacate the site.’
‘The money raised for Ronald McDonald House Birmingham is part of a wider community engagement approach taken by the BAM team throughout the construction of 103 Colmore Road. In every aspect of the project, we have endeavoured to be at the top of our game. This has included being the best neighbour we could possibly be, delivering social value by supporting the local economy, creating employment opportunities for local people and providing fundraising support to an amazing local charity.’
Danni Aberg, head of social impact at BAM, commented: ‘Social Value is about creating opportunity and positive change for people and the communities in which we work. The last two years have had such an enormous impact on the charities that support the most vulnerable in our society and our teams should be exceptionally proud of what they have achieved. As a mother of three whose child spent some time in hospital, I know just how big an impact the ability to be housed close will have on families.’
Generating wider social value was a key focus area for the BAM team working on 103 Colmore Row. Over the course of the project, the scheme has generated 13,171 weeks of work to locally employed people living within 10 miles of the site. In addition, a total of 67 apprentices have collectively benefitted from 955 weeks of training. Additional activities with local schools and colleges have included ‘Dragon’s Den’ style events with students from Birmingham City University and webinars promoting construction and STEM careers.
A focus on local procurement has led to over £9.5m of orders being placed with businesses located within 30 miles of the project. The project team has also devoted over 50 volunteering hours to local community projects including Balsall Heath City Farm that provides local families with access to animals that they otherwise might not see.
